The Midweek Program - “Protecting Pollinators While Managing Pests”

Presented by Mark Weathington, Director, and Blake Wentley, Education Assistant, JC Raulston Arboretum on August 6, 2025.

Keeping your plants pest-free without harming the good bugs can feel like walking a tightrope. Spray too much, and you risk wiping out the pollinators and beneficial insects your garden depends on. Do too little, and your plants become a buffet for every aphid, beetle, or caterpillar in the neighborhood.
In this week’s Midweek Program, our Director Mark will walk us through practical, ecologically responsible ways to protect your garden. We’ll explore cultural strategies for keeping plants healthy and resilient—like managing nutrition, reducing stress, and selecting the right plant combinations—as well as how to intervene thoughtfully when pests do show up. From companion planting to targeted treatments, you’ll learn how to manage problems without compromising the pollinators that help your garden thrive.
No gimmicks. No scorched-earth tactics. Just smart, sustainable solutions for a healthier garden ecosystem.

NC Cooperative Extension article on minimizing the impact of pesticides on pollinators:

https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/u...

This program was originally presented live online. Tune into our midweek program live on Zoom, Wednesdays at 3:00pm eastern time. Here's the link: https://jcra.ncsu.edu/midweek/